CM is no picnic

[Rach3]

From Slipped Disc:

"We’re hearing that Yuja Wang has dropped out of next week’s Bartok concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and her former boyfriend Klaus Mäkelä.

Chicago still has her name up in lights on the website but they’ve been calling around agents for a replacement.

This may become a frequent occurrence. Yuja and Klaus booked three years’ worth of concerts together before the breakup, embarrasing agents on both sides."

[Belle]

How could two such egos exist in the same household? It never worked out with Burton and Taylor so why would it with Klaus and Yuja? I do remember her in a brief interview talking about men being ***holes, which told me more about Ms Wang than the men in her life.

She has extraordinary musical gifts and that would be a hard act to follow.

[Lance]

This is surprising they, even with a breakup, they would cancel major performances. Even when Argerich split from Dutoit, they often performed together not letting their personal circumstances get in the way of creating great music. Indeed, how embarrassing for the agents who set up three years of projected concerts. And there have been other marriages that split but still performed together.

[jserraglio]

In this, we may have the stirrings of a 4th remake of "A Star is Born"!

[Ricordanza]

Even when Argerich split from Dutoit, they often performed together not letting their personal circumstances get in the way of creating great music.

I saw them together at a Philadelphia Orchestra concert. And at the end of the concerto performance, they kissed...on the lips!

[barney]

To me, it shows remarkable immaturity, and an artist who is used to being utterly cosseted. A deal is a deal, honour it!

[Rach3]

To me, it shows remarkable immaturity, and an artist who is used to being utterly cosseted. A deal is a deal, honour it!

Fees lost to agents and to the artists themselves, and ticket sales lost for orchestras plus the orchestras' needs to replace one or both artists. Wonder which one of the artists takes the hit ?

From a 2016 New Yorker interview with Ms.Wang,although 8 years ago:

"Yuja has made changes in her professional life that she is not sure have solved the problems of doubt and restlessness by which they were impelled. Last year, she abruptly left her manager, Earl Blackburn, of the large Opus 3 Artists agency, with whom she had been since she was sixteen, and joined Mark Newbanks, whose London-based agency, Fidelio Arts, has only three other clients—but what clients!—the conductors Gustavo Dudamel, Lionel Bringuier, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Although Yuja doesn’t speak of it in such terms, the change of managers has the atmosphere of the dissolution of a marriage: a young wife leaves the dull, older husband for an exciting younger man. Naomi Graffman spoke of Blackburn’s extraordinary devotion to Yuja: “He coddled her as no one had ever been coddled before. Every little thing she wanted or needed, he did it for her. He would brush her teeth for her if she wanted.” The younger man is different. He does not take Yuja’s clothes to the cleaners; recently, he did not offer to pick up a Russian visa for her, as Blackburn would have done. “She was furious,” Gary said. “Never having had experience with anybody else, she thought that was what managers did.” I happened to have heard about the Russian visa from Yuja. She had not mentioned Newbanks, just the fact of this and other annoying little errands she had to run, followed by the playful question “Shall I hire a boyfriend or an assistant?”


I proposed a boyfriend/assistant.

Earlier, she had spoken of the obstacle her touring schedule put in the way of lasting romance. The boyfriend/assistant—i.e., a muse—would always be in the next seat on the plane. “No,” she said, “guys won’t do that. It’s O.K. for a woman to do that. It’s harder for guys to get rid of their egos, to be even a little bit subservient.” She added, “Of course, I want guys who are successful. Which means that they have their own work, that they’re busy—and that I am the one who visits them.”

I asked if her romances were with artists of her calibre.

“Not of my calibre,” she said without hesitation (and the obligatory peal of laughter). “I never meet people of my calibre who are available.”

[Belle]

She has also publicly stated she 'likes girls' so there's a 50% increase in the available talent pool right there!!

Speaking of CM being 'no picnic' I saw a recent performance given by The Triff; an encore, which made it to YouTube. He has a grizzled, longer beard and dirty hair in his eyes. Such a shame to see this as I feel it's a reflection of what's going on inside, to be honest. I'm at the stage of being unable to watch him anymore.

[Rach3]

She has also publicly stated she 'likes girls' so there's a 50% increase in the available talent pool right there!!

Fww (little), I read that comment, in the context of the interview, as sarcastic, ie. since journalists asked/wondered if/why she did not have a steady boyfriend she must be lesbian.

[Belle]

OK, fair enough. My comment was meant to be sarcastic anyway!

What do you think is going on with The Triff? He reminds me of Glenn Gould more each day.

[Lance]

Naomi Graffman's comments opened my eyes on Wang. It is apparent she really likes herself. That's not a human characteristic I like very much, but I understand it. She has been coddled and spoiled in her fame. (Earl Wild had this characteristic to a point, too.) Maybe the best word is that she is "entitled." I see more and more of that among people these days as well: entitlement. In any event, I enjoy the chops/interpretations (and the package!) Yuja brings to her piano.

[Lance]

Apparently Triff has more going in his life than we may know. [Agree, Glenn Gould was a bit sloppy - but as a pianist - profound!] You should know that DGG will soon be issuing a new CD entitled "Rachmaninoff for Two" featuring Triff and Sergei Babayan. We will get the Symphonic Dances, Suites 1 and 2, and Triff's own transcription of the Adagio movement from Rach's Symphony No. 2. This is a must-have for me (and I'm sure for you, too, Belle!).

[Belle]

I must certainly have that Trifonov/Babayan recording of the Rachmaninov. I admire the playing of both very much, but I find The Triff too hard on the eye in his present comportment.

I meant that The Triff is like Gould in his increasing eccentricity, not in his playing.

[Rach3]

From Slipped Disc today:

"After two days of trying to find a star pianist who could play Bartok’s second concerto and get along with conductor Klaus Mäkelä, the Chicago Symphony simply gave up.

The soloist next week will be cellist Sol Gabetta and the concerto is Shostakovich’s 1st. ‘ Captivating,’ says the blurb, and… electrifying (that’s just the conductor)."

[jserraglio]

George Szell on Glenn Gould: "No doubt about it. That nut's a genius.”

[Rach3]

From Slipped Disc today:

"After two days of trying to find a star pianist who could play Bartok’s second concerto and get along with conductor Klaus Mäkelä, the Chicago Symphony simply gave up

In fairness, I doubt many star or other pianists keep the Bartok #2 in their fingers on moments notice, even a week or two notice, one of the most difficult of PCs.

[maestrob]

From Slipped Disc today:

"After two days of trying to find a star pianist who could play Bartok’s second concerto and get along with conductor Klaus Mäkelä, the Chicago Symphony simply gave up

In fairness, I doubt many star or other pianists keep the Bartok #2 in their fingers on moments notice, even a week or two notice, one of the most difficult of PCs.

Two of my favorite recent recordings would be Bavouzet and Kovacevich. I guess they weren't available.

[Lance]

Even if I was Cziffra or any of the known Bartokians who pay the piece, I don't think I'd take a chance with only a two week notice! Whew!

From Slipped Disc today:

"After two days of trying to find a star pianist who could play Bartok’s second concerto and get along with conductor Klaus Mäkelä, the Chicago Symphony simply gave up

In fairness, I doubt many star or other pianists keep the Bartok #2 in their fingers on moments notice, even a week or two notice, one of the most difficult of PCs.

Two of my favorite recent recordings would be Bavouzet and Kovacevich. I guess they weren't available.